AusVarmint

So what is wrong with oil and airguns in the same sentence?

Rabz

It's ck if it's on the air gun and not in it.

Spring powered air guns can go off like a powder burners if the pressure makes the oil diesel. I had a Diana 34 177cal go off and broke open at the breach and I was always careful with the oil. Scared the stuff out of me bit didn't do any damage to the gun.


daisy

i have a mate that LOVES oily guns, including his air rifles. one night plinking with him, he fired a shot and a flame shot about a foot out the barrel, scared the shit out of me.

A lot of things are wrong with "airguns and oil." As Daisy said, "oil" in the compression chamber of spring airguns can go "BANG" on firing - it's called "dieselling" or "detonation" if it's really bad. Basically, your airgun's compression cylinder and piston get very hot for a millisecond on firing - air gets hot as it's compressed. The wrong sort of lubricant acts as a fuel source, and your gun works just like a diesel engine. You can get smoke if it's not too bad, and a lound bang if it's really bad, which can burn the piston seal, bulge the cylinder, and damage the spring and other parts depending how violent it is.

The wrong sort of lube (or too much) can also damage pneumatics. If oil gets into the valve, it can gum over time and affect sealing - the gun may start to leak air. Some oils will also damage the fine seals in pneumatics.

Then there is "airgun oil" - silicone. This stuff is sold as airgun oil, but it has no value as a metal to metal lube, and will cause shocking galling inside a gun. Silicone oil was pushed as the best lube in the 70's and 80's - dunno why, if you put in anywhere there is metal on metal, and any sort of shearing forces, it feels like you have sprayed and in there instead.

Guns in general need very little lubrication. Too much will retain grime and dust, and as most guns are precision fitted, smoothly finished pieces of gear, there isn't the room for much lube on the moving parts.

Most gunshops won't stock suitable lubes for airguns. They will have basic "gun oils" which would be OK for wiping a gun over with to keep rust at bay.

The best way for a spring gun to be lubed is for it to be stripped down, cleaned at lubed with proper greases, moly lubes etc. Barring that, dry moly lube known as Dri Slide or Gun Slide can be purchased and applied where it's needed.

Ok, I get it I didnt consider oil in the compression chamber, I guess too many years dealing with adiabatic compression explosions to even think of it.

Thanks
Rabz

Rabbitz wrote:Ok, I get it I didnt consider oil in the compression chamber, I guess too many years dealing with adiabatic compression explosions to even think of it.

Thanks
Rabz

Mineral oil will also eat synthetic piston seals,O rings,seats etc. just by being in contact.